Considering a GP appointment after lifelong struggles with friendships and overwhelm

[HulkHogansHair]

So ever since I remember I've been 'odd' I have booked a Gp appointment. These are my symptoms ...
As a child talked to myself, lived in a fantasy land. I was popular in primary but struggled with being highly strung and I used to tell lies and create situations. I couldn't let anything go either.
As I got older I struggled to keep friends. They'd be intense for a year or so then avoid me basically. I was friends with some girls and I was the joke basically. Ive struggled in jobs feeling overwhelmed then cried at times. How embarrassing. I didnt function well in relationships. Id choose people with issues that I thought id fix and they'd be so grateful to me. Bloody odd
Any ideas ?

I can’t see what a GP is going to do

Do you live alone?

You are going to the GP about never having been able to make friends?

I think a therapist would offer better help than a GP.

What would a GP do? What’s the worry? Nothing here sounds odd or worrying

Are you perhaps hoping that a diagnosis of some sort, will help you make sense of the person that you are?

is The intention for the gp to refer you to a therapist? Cos that’d be most helpful for you I think

You need therapy.

If you often feel anxious and stressed, an anxiolytic that your GP can prescribe may be helpful.

What the others said. Therapy.

Maybe an assessment for ND?
No live with husband a child

Yep maybe a deeper issue?

I would say you need a therapist rather than a gp appointment. If you’re thinking you might get an autism diagnosis, I’d ask what you’d do with that? Outside of school, functioning autistic people don’t really get help, but you could try out coping mechanisms advised for nd people. That said, I made up scenarios, lived in a fantasy land and sometimes lied over random stuff. Kids do those kind of things.

And I do have friends. I just struggle to maintain friendships and all the other points listed make me think is there something underlying ?

Ive had therapy twice at 50 quid a session. It didnt really help. Been on anti depressants for 20 years. They do take the egde off

No you are just human. You have a husband, child, friends. What would a diagnosis do anyway? I agree with others therapy is a good idea

What are you hoping for from the GP?

It doesn't sound like something that a GP would help with. It sounds like you want to find some narrative for "why I am the kind of person that I am."

The GP would refer if the level of distress was high enough - but that would be because the distress needed treating, not for the purposes of self-exploration.

Friendships can be transient and that’s the same for all of us, intense as we get to know someone but peter out as time goes on . The fact that you maintained a relationship long enough to marry and have a child makes me think that you are able to sustain relationships.

What are you hoping will come out of the appointment? A diagnosis won’t change how you experience the world or change codependent tendencies and there’s no real treatment for autism, if that’s what you’re thinking is at play.

My child was from a short abusive marriage.

So is the husband you live with now a different one?

My 2nd much better husband lol

You can't be assessed for "ND" as it covers many conditions including dyslexia, Tourette's, ADHD and synesthesia. You'd need to be assessed for each condition independently.

I think speaking to the GP can’t hurt and might help. And it’s a sign of taking care of yourself - investing in yourself - which is a good thing.

You need to work on your self esteem. Plenty of self help books, youtubes, videos etc available.

You need to get out into fresh air and sunlight every day to improve your mood and wellbeing rather than rely solely on anti depressants.

Exercise more and release endorphins that will improve your mood, and your health .

Volunteer for an organisation that means something to you so that you feel valued, are giving something back to the community, are making relationships that have the expectation of being social rather than best buddy.

Count your blessings.

You’ve got nothing to lose but I don’t think it’s going to be as much help as you think it will be.

Even if you got a diagnosis it won’t change you.

You say you struggle to function in relationships but you’ve been married twice - so you must be doing something right.

To be ND you need to have a lot of traits.
Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all and being an adult woman you are going to naturally show traits in a less obvious way and also have learnt strategies on how to hide them and be more ‘normal’
If you have any sort of trauma then this can also give you certain traits.

So you may never get a definitive diagnosis.
But I can’t see the harm in trying.